


The Happier Ending

by welcometothisday



Series: Mirror Mirror... [4]
Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, F/M, First Kiss, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Idiots in Love, M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-04
Updated: 2019-07-04
Packaged: 2020-06-09 14:29:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19477819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/welcometothisday/pseuds/welcometothisday
Summary: "Live now; make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again."Jean-Luc Picard, Star Trek the Next Generation





	The Happier Ending

Waking up was the hardest part.

There was light burning through your lenses, which which you hadn't expected since you thought you were going somewhere significantly different. You also didn't expect the low, deep singing, or the warmth entangling of fingers in your hands. Most of all, you didn't expect the feeling and light smell of tears.

The hand was gentle, careful as though you would break. Whoever it was, uttered your name, and it sounded like he was pleading. "Please, come back to me."

Aaravos, it was Aaravos. Oh stars, you really had lost it all, including what was left of your very mind. Your biggest regrets were that you weren't able to free him from his prison, never able to hold him close. A large part wished you had told him so much, that you had been lying, that you had been scared for most of your life, being trapped in your own body...And he was your sanctuary. You had never told him you loved him.

But, then again, you doubted he could, would ever feel the same. He was at least a thousand years old, and you were milliseconds in comparison, a passing moment. At least, you got to spend some time with him, you got to see him smile and laugh, and...

A hand caressed your cheek, wiping away the burning tears from yourself. This time, it felt so much more real, and it felt like home. You were safe, and maybe whole, a first in your life. He asked your name again, as if testing to see if you were really there. Wincing, eyeballs aching and lids feeling heavy, you leaned into the warmth. This time, it was a whisper, an utterance of something endearing. Your eyelids struggled to open, to see him. Your breathing was stuttering, and the hand squeezed yours.

"Please, wake up."

After more than a few minutes, you blearily opened your eyes. There Aaravos was, with his star freckles, that charming smile, and, why was he crying? He said your name again, and you tried to talk, confused as to what was going on. Your throat hurt though, and he lifted some pillows, setting you upwards to lean on them. He reached out to a dresser of some kind, holding out a cup of water. That was right, you were so, so thirsty. It hurt. He raised his hand, trembling as he tilted your head upwards, helping you take a few sips. He pat your back when you couldn't hold back some coughs, your chest and diaphragm taking vengeance on you. Your face was tucked into his shoulder, his warmth a great comfort.

It finally hit you then. He was here, you were here, you were _both_ here. He started to help you lay back, concern written all over his features. "Your body's been focused on healing, so your limbs may not be capable of lifting or you-"

"You're here," you choked out, eyes watering. "Y-you're _here_. I, I-"

He was holding your arms, pressing his forehead to yours. It felt soft, and cool, and light. It was a boon for your aching and burning skin. "Yes, we're here, and _you're_ here, alive."

Conflicting emotions crossed over his features, from anger, to sorrow, relief, and grief. There were other emotions you couldn't recognize, but you wanted to, if he'd let you. However, you knew what the anger was for.

"Why?" you managed to croak, if barely. Thankfully, those sensitive ears picked up on your words, twitching in your direction. He was pained, but you couldn't help but ask it. "Why did you-? I-I hurt you. I hid..."

You began coughing again, and for some reason, he didn't seem to care, only giving you some more water. It was as if he couldn't stop touching you. But, after being stuck in there for who knew how long, alone, you couldn't blame him. His smile made your heart flutter, the bastard. He was terrifying and wonderful all at once because of it. You wished he could stop making you feel this way.

"Because I would trade the world, just for another moment with you."

...Processing, processing, and done processing. What? "But, I'm not worth-?"

This time, he placed his lips on your forehead, causing your own cheeks to set on fire. He caressed your cheek once more, giving you a tender look. "Rest now, I will stay with you."

Oh right, your eyelids were feeling tired again, along with everything else. He lay you down, tucking you in.You could briefly see a stairway outside, the ocean's scent lulling you into slumber.

As you closed your eyes, breathing finally become even.

* * *

He helped you regain your strength over the weeks, months, always careful, gentle, and never touching where he was unwanted. The perfect gentleman. And one day, near the end of one of your meals, music began to play. The little bug that used to allow Aaravos to speak to you was wiggling its little legs excitedly, turning between you and Aaravos.

Your cheeks burned, and his glimmered until he saw your expression. Standing up, he offered his hand, and you knew what he wanted. You took his hand, following him into a clear floor. The music grew slightly louder as he searched your eyes, placing a hand on your waist, and resting the other in your hand. Tentative, your fingers intertwined with his, and you slowly took the lead best you could.

The tune began to uplift. The lights dimmed, letting you both focus on each other, the way the two of you move becoming easier, more fluid. In the middle of the tune, you couldn't help but smile, and giggle a little. He laughed too, taking the lead this time. It all felt so right, being together, like a pieces of a puzzle coming together. As the crescendo ended, you heard a melody. Eyes widening, you remembered it. It was the one from the festival, and it transitioned into the songs you had sung for him. He remembered it all.

The two of you stilled near the end, one of his hands tightening around yours, afraid to let go. Aaravos tilted your chin upwards with his other, so that you could meet his gaze. Whispering your name, he said, "I love you."

Your mind went blank, but your expression did not. There were so many things that needed to be answered, so many that you wanted to understand, but, being with him? Having these little moments? Maybe that was something you didn't need to question.

This time, it was you who cupped his cheek. He leaned into your touch, and you murmured, "I love you too."

Aaravos let out a breath of relief, his star freckles lighting up the darkness around you as you bent towards each other, meeting halfway.

An ocean breeze wafted through the windows, reflecting the very stars above.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope this ending is a bit happier than the Bittersweet one.
> 
> EDIT
> 
> 12/11/2019 - Hey everybody, a group and I had a research project for a few classes that involves a survey. We needed a larger sample size. I'm happy to say that we got more than enough responses for the project and I just wanted to thank everyone for helping out.
> 
> If you want to check out the results, here's the link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-5ZFXQ8JS7/
> 
> Thank you!


End file.
